Japa and Ekadashi

[Mahabhuta]

Dear Hari, could you share your opinion on Japa and Ekadashi.

Definitive by observing Ekadashi one feels
- improvement in physical and mental state
- diminishing of desires in general
- increase of self-confidence (I've did it)
- increase of interest to Yoga in wide sense
(Main difficulty here is to find correct calendar among variety of available in Internet.)

I mean it is nothing wrong if one accepts relevant part of some prepackaged spiritual process.

[Mahabhuta]

By Hari:
Japa falls in the category of chanting and chanting is fine. How you want to chant is up to you…
I like very much what you wrote about Ekadashi because it is based on your experience.

I fully agree that when the tradition supports us, we should not reject it because some other part of it doesn’t!

[Drpta]

I use this two programs to define events like Ekadashi or holidays.
Vaishnava Reminder (in Russian) http://www.vasudeva.ru/index.php?catid= ... ew=article
DrikPanchang https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... drikp.core
Both are quite precise and easily ajust to your lacation. Second one has all Hindu celebretions.

[Mihail]

The way that japa works is well-known (up to the extent it may be well-known).

But the way that ekadashi works, if it works at all, is quite unclear (to me). The full fasting is definitely good for health. My experience is that partial fasting on specific moon days is accepted and recognised by my body and seems to be good for health. But real ekadashi means full fasting and abstinence from sleep.

So my questions:

1. Does real ekadashi (without sleep) have so much effect as described?

2. Is there additional prerequisites to get full effect from ekadashi?

3. Some foods (such as spinach) are described as not suitable for ekadashi. Is it so? How to distinguish foods?

(offtopic: Mahabhuta и Drpta, напишите в персональных сообщениях ваше мыло, а то через форум че-то общаться получается раз в 3 месяца)

[Mahabhuta]

Mihail, here is one receipt for real Ekadashi.

Only water till noon.
Fruits and nuts till evening.
Ekadashi meal at evening.

Profit.

[Mihail]

Mahabhuta, are you serious?

I did some ekadashi near to prescribed way (AFAIK, sometimes one need to abstine form sleep before and after ekadashi). But I am not sure: is ekadashi a best way to spend my abilities to restrict myself, or there is another, better way?

[Mahabhuta]

Then I would suggest that your method doesn't work or maybe you've adopted wrong Ekadashi calendar.

[Drpta]

I am sorry for butting in, but imho rules for observing ekadashi and defining a correct day is mainly up to observer for there are a huge variety of rules in shastras how to observe it. The main thing is our intention and feeling and belief that this vrata is useful. But the day has real advantage for impose some restrictions and getting a gain from austerity performed. In calculations of the proper day I keep to the Vaisnava tradition that sun must rise up at 11th moon day.
But this is Discussion with Hari forum though…

[Mihail]

Then I would suggest that your method doesn't work or maybe you've adopted wrong Ekadashi calendar.

This may be the case. I pay too little attention to calendar.

[Mihail]

I am sorry for butting in, but imho rules for observing ekadashi and defining a correct day is mainly up to observer for there are a huge variety of rules in shastras how to observe it.

Where you found "huge variety of rules in shastras"? Please name all of them (that is, shastras). I suspect that there may be really huge variety of rules due to indian style of specualation (in its bad sense). That is, only some rules are really come from shastras.

The main thing is our intention and feeling and belief that this vrata is useful.

I disagree, because A. shudras are not allowed to perform austerity B. if "the main thing is our intention" then why to bother to choose a specific day C. there are some stories of unintended fasting with result.

Another thing I heard that fasting in ekadashi mixed with dashami is very dangerous and harmful (Hari-bhakti-vilasa 12.204 12.205 12.206 ... up to 12.262)

But this is Discussion with Hari forum though…

The discussion helps me to formulate my questions. The questions are:

4. Is ekadashi a best way to spend my abilities to restrict myself, or there is another, better way?

and of course 0. What is the sensetivity I need to be able to make trial tests to find the right answers to that questions? How should I make trials? And should I? That is, after quick look at sources, they seems to me to be reliable enough (except for spinach).

[Mihail]

The main thing is our intention and feeling and belief that this vrata is useful.

I think one should make clear distinction between japa where "main thing is our intention and feeling", and AFAIK anyone allowed to chant at any time and any place, and ekadashi, where wrong time is very harmful.

[Mihail]

Dear Hari, could you share your opinion on Japa and Ekadashi.

I wonder what reply you are expecting to see. Is it the reply "I, the guru in the parampara, now say: ..."? Of course, it is sarcasm. I expect to see the reply about sensitivity one need and how to get it, and so on (or just moving the thread to "Free Exchange Amongst Members") But what reply you expect?

Anyway your question was very useful for me.